Reservoir for a liquid pump including means for initially forcing liquid into the pump

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for supplying liquid to a pump includes a pump inlet fixture and a removable reservoir. The reservoir has a chamber at the bottom thereof with an inlet from the portion of the reservoir thereabove, and an outlet. A closure member within the chamber has a lower outlet closure section which closes the outlet when the reservoir is removed for filling, and an upwardly-extending post forming an inlet closure section. When the reservoir is placed in position on the fixture, the closure member is raised to its upper position and the fixture moves a substantial distance into the chamber. The post and inlet are arranged to engage in sealed relationship during a range of intermediate positions of the closure member, thereby forcing a portion of the liquid in the chamber into the pump inlet. The post is designed to open the inlet to the chamber in upper and lower positions of the closure member.

United States atent [191 Crippa RESERVOIR FOR A LIQUID PUMP INCLUDINGMEANS FOR INITIALLY FORCING LIQUID INTO THE PUMP PrimaryExaminer--Richard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner.lames M. SlatteryAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Pennie & Edmonds [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus forsupplying liquid to a pump includes a pump inlet fixture and a removablereservoir. The reservoir has a chamber at the bottom thereof with aninlet from the portion of the reservoir thereabove, and an outlet. Aclosure member within the chamber has a lower outlet closure sectionwhich closes the outlet when the reservoir is removed for filling, andan upwardly-extending post forming an inlet closure section. When thereservoir is placed in position on the fixture, the closure member israised to its upper position and the fixture moves a substantialdistance into the chamber. The post and inlet are arranged to engage insealed relationship during a range of intermediate positions of theclosure member, thereby forcing a portion of the liquid in the chamberinto the pump inlet. The post is designed to open the inlet to thechamber in upper and lower positions of the closure member.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures E ENTEU MR 1 81375 SHEET 1 OF 3 FIG. 1

FIG

RESERVOIR FOR,A LIQUID PUMP INCLUDING MEANS FOR INITIALLY FORCING LIQUIDINTO THE PUMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toapparatus for supplying liquid to a pump including a pump inlet fittingand a removable reservoir, and is particularly applicable to pump unitsfor supplying liquid under pressure to a body-care appliance such as awater jet or an hydraulically operated toothbrush.

In known apparatus a removable reservoir is provided with a gravityvalve in the bottom thereof which is closed when the reservoir isremoved for filling. The pump unit includes an inlet fixture on whichthe reservoir is placed in sealed relationship, with the gravity valvein alignment with the inlet fixture. The fixture is designed to open thevalve when the reservoir is in position, thereby allowing liquid(usually water) to flow through the fixture to the pump.

Such an arrangement is shown, for example, in US.

Pat. No. 3,536,065 issued Oct. 27, 1970 to Moret. As

also described in that patent, the pump supplies liquid pressure pulsesthrough a flexible conduit to a unitary hand applicance containing anhydraulic piston-type motor for driving a toothbrush attachment, orother attachment, and a conduit for supplying the pressure pulses to awater jet attachment. A manual valve is provided which is actuable toyield either type of operation. As also described, a return conduit fromthe hand appliance to the pump unit is advantageously employed, and thevalve has a position for connecting the supply conduit to the returnconduit so that the appliance may be switched off with the pump stillrunning.

In order for the pump to supply a pressure output immediately after thepump motor is switched on, the pump chamber must contain sufficientliquid without large air pockets. Otherwise no liquid, or insufficientliquid, is pumped, and the pump system must first be bled of air in somesuitable way. If, therefore, there are air pockets in the pump chamberbefore the pump is started, they must be forced out by the liquidflowing into the chamber after the reservoir has been fitted. However,the hydraulic system downstream of the pump, especially the connectinghose between the pump and the manual appliance, which may also includethe return as well as the supply tube, is generally more or less full ofliquid. The pump, hose and manual appliance form a system ofintercommunicating tubes, with the manual appliance often at a higherlevel than the pump. It may, for example, be hung on a wall bracketwhile the pump is fitted beneath the wash basin.

In order to allow liquid to enter a pump chamber which contains airpockets, after the reservoir has been fitted on the pump it is usuallynecessary to overcome the force produced by the weight of the liquid inthe hydraulic system above the level of the pump, which counteracts theentry of liquid. Only then will it be possible positively to force intothe pump outlet pipe those air pockets which cannot escape into thereservoir through its inlet valve, and to remove them from the hydraulicsystem thereafter.

It has been found that, in the known pump units of this kind, thepressure provided simply by the height of the column of water in thereservoir is often insufficient, because of the factors mentioned above,adequately to fill the pump chamber, which may be partially empty'or maycontain air pockets. The results of this is that, after the pump motorhas been switched on, no liquid at all, or at least an insufficientquantity thereof, is forced along by the pump. This undesirable effectoccurs particularly frequently, of course, if the reservoir is onlypartially filled with liquid.

In application Ser. No. 226,826 filed Feb. 16, 1972 by Moret and.lousson, now Pat. No. 3,77l,557, these drawbacks are overcome byproviding means for forcing a certain quantity of liquid into the pumpchamber as the reservoir is placed in position on the pump inletfixture, utilizing the weight of the reservoir and the liquid therein,supplemented by manual pressure if required. In that application thereservoir includes a chamber in the bottom thereof containing an outletclosure member and a float valve. As the reservoir is filled, the floatvalve rises to close off the inlet to the chamber. When the reservoir isplaced on the pump inlet fixture, the latter opens the outlet closuremember and enters the chamber. Since the float valve prevents liquidfrom flowing into the chamber from the portion of the reservoirthereabove, the liquid displaced by the pump inlet fixture is forcedinto the pump. Advantageously the volume of liquid forced into the pumpis sufficient to fill the pump chamber and drive out air pocketssufficiently to cause the pump to operate effectively as soon as it isturned on. During operation, the float moves downward on each suctionstroke and allows liquid to flow into the chamber from the portion ofthe reservoir thereabove.

While effective, the foregoing arrangement utilizes separate float andclosure members, with means for preventing jamming of the members if thereservoir is tilted during the filling operation.

The present invention is directed toward a simpler structure whichaccomplishes similar results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, aclosure member vertically movable in a chamber at the bottom of thereservoir has vertically spaced inlet and outlet closure sections. Inthe lower position of the closure member, the outlet closure sectioncloses the chamber outlet and the inlet to the chamber is open so thatthe reservoir, including the chamber, can be filled. The inlet closuresection and the inlet to the chamber are designed to close the inletthrough a range of intermediate positions of the closure member, andopen the inlet in upper and lower positions of the closure memher.

The chamber outlet and the pump inlet fixture are designed so that, whenthe reservoir is placed in position, the fixture enters the chamber asubstantial distance and displaces a substantial amount of liquidtherein. Sealing means provides a seal between the chamber outlet andthe pump inlet fixture. Means are also provided for moving the closuremember upward as the reservoir is placed on the fixture thereby openingthe chamber outlet. During the aforesaid intermediate range ofpositions, the inlet closure section closes the inlet to the chamber,thereby forcing the displaced liquid into the fixture and thence to thepump chamber.

Advantageously the size of the inlet fixture and the distance it entersthe reservoir chamber are selected so that the volume of liquid forcedinto the pump chamber is sufficient to fill the pump chamber and driveout air pockets therein sufficiently to cause the pump to operateeffectively as soon as it is switched on.

When the reservoir is fully in position, the closure member is in itsupper position and the inlet to the chamber is open to the portion ofthe reservoir thereabove. Thus liquid is supplied to the pump withoutfurther movement of the closure member. I

As described hereinafter, the inlet closure section is in the form of anupwardly extending post. Advantageously the post hasa cylindricalsection and the inlet has a sealing ring engaging therewith through thedesired range of intermediate positions during which liquid is forcedinto the pump. The top of the post, in the lower position of the closuremember, is at least partially within the inlet in non-sealing guidedrelationship therewith, thus maintaining the closure member in properposition while allowing liquid to flow thereby.

Alternatively, the inlet may have a cylindrical surface and the postprovided with a sealing ring which engages the cylindrical surfaceduring said range of intermediate positions.

A spring biases the closure member toward its lower position, so as toovercome the friction of the seal in the range of intermediate positionsso that, upon removal of the reservoir, the closure member moves quicklyfrom its upper to its lower position to close the chamber outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a pump unitconnected to a toothbrush hand appliance;

FIG. 2 illustrates a water jet attachment for the hand appliance of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section of a reservoir in accordance with theinvention, shown in removed relationship with respect to a pump inletfixture;

FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b show cross-sections of FIG. 3 taken along the lines3a-3a and 3b-3b thereof;

FIG. 4 shows the reservoir and fixture of FIG. 3 in an intermediateinserted position and FIG. 5 shows the fully inserted position;

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the invention; and FIG. 7 shows across-section along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a pump unitgenerally designated as 10 is connected to a toothbrush hand appliance11 by a flexible dual tube 12. The pump unit includes a water reservoir13 supplying water to a pump 14 through conduit 15, the pump beingdriven by an electric motor (not shown). Liquid pressure pulses aresupplied through tube 12' to hand appliance l1, and the other tube 12"allows water to be returned from the hand appliance to the reservoir 13of the pump unit.

The hand appliance 11 may be designed in accordance with the aforesaidUS. Pat. No. 3,536,065 or application Ser. No. 244,879 filed Apr. 17,1972 by Moret and Jousson for Hydraulically Operated Hand Appliance forpersonal Hygiene, now US. Pat. No. 3,771,186, as unitary device capableof both toothbrush and water jet operation by simply interchanging theappliance heads. FIG. 1 shows a toothbrush head 16 in place, and FIG. 2shows a water jet attachment 17 which may be substituted for thetoothbrush head 16.

The hand appliance 11 contains a reciprocating hydraulic piston motor(not shown) driven in one direction by pressure pulses from tube 12' andreturned in the opposite direction by a compression spring. For waterjet operation, the pressure pulses are supplied through an internalconduit in appliance 11 to head 17. Valve means in 11 provides forapplying the pressure pulses to either the hydraulic motor or internalconduit, under control ofa slidable member 18. Member 18 also has a rearposition in which the supply tube 12 is connected to the return tube 12'so as to return the water to the pump unit without operating thehydraulic motor or water jet.

Referring to FIG. 3, the lower portion of reservoir 13 is shown, with achamber 21 at the bottom thereof. A horizontal wall 22 divides the uppermain portion of the reservoir from chamber 21, with an inlet 23 to thechamber. A sealing ring 24 is mounted in the inlet. The wall of chamber21 is here shown as cylindrical, and a flanged cap 25 is attached to thewall, with a sealing ring 26 secured therebetween. Cap 25 has a centralopening 27 forming the outlet of the chamber.

The closure member has a disk-shaped outlet closure section 28 with adownwardly extending lip 29 which engages sealing ring 26 in the lowerposition shown. A post generally designated 31 extends upwardly fromdisk section 28 and forms the inlet closure member. The post comprises asmaller diameter lower section 32, a larger diameter intermediatesection-33, and an upper section 34 formed of crossed ribs (FIG. 3a)which allow the flow of liquid thereby but guide the closure member insealing ring 24. A compression spring 35 biases the closure member toits lower position shown, so that outlet 27 is closed and inlet 23 isopen. Thus the reservoir, including chamber 21, can be filled. v

The pump inlet fixture comprises a cylindrical stub 36 dimensioned tofit into the outlet 27 of the reservoir chamber, ring 26 providing aseal between the chamber outlet and the stub as the reservoir is placedin position thereon. A pipe 37 is centrally located in the top of thestub, and is connected to the pump by a flexible tube 15 (FIG. 1) in theembodiment shown. If the pump inlet fixture is directly on top of thepump housing, pipe 37 may lead directly to the inlet chamber thereof.Additional structure may be provided for supporting the reservoir whenin operating position, if desired.

Referring to FIG. 4, the reservoir 13 is shown in an intermediateposition as it is placed in position on the pump inlet fixture. Outletclosure section 28 has been moved upward away from its seat on sealingring 26 by the top of stub 36. Small ribs 38 on the bottom of disk 28,best seen in FIG. 3b, maintain sufficient separation to allow liquid toflow to pipe 37 as shown by the arrows. Disk 28 is provided with smallprojections 39 which maintain the disk approximately centered, whileallowing the flow of liquid thereby, and also serve as abutments for oneend of spring 35.

Throughout a range of intermediate positions of the closure member, theenlarged cylindrical surface 33 is in sealed relationship with thechamber inlet sealing ring 24. Thus the liquid displaced by stub 36 isforced into outlet pipe 37 and thence to the pump. The length of surface33 may be selected with respect to the diameter of fixture 36 so thatsufficient liquid is forced into outlet pipe 37 to fill the pump chamberand drive out air pockets therein sufficiently to enable the pump tooperate effectively as soon as it is switched on.

FIG. 5 shows the fully inserted position. Here the closure member is inits upper position with enlarged cylinder 33 above sealing ring 24.Accordingly liquid from the upper portion of the reservoir can flowfreely into chamber 21 and thence to outlet pipe 37. Spring 35 is nowcompressed, but it may be made sufficiently weak so as not to force thereservoir off the inlet fixture. The principal purpose of spring 35 isto move the closure member downwardly through the position shown in FIG.4 when the reservoir is removed, and it need only be strong eough toovercome the friction between cylinder 33 and sealing ring 24.

Referring to FIG. 6, a modification is shown which is similar to theforegoing except for the inlet to the chamber 21 and the inlet closuresection. Here the inlet has a cylindrical section 41 which is engaged bya sealing ring 42 on the upwardly extending post 43. The portion of thepost below ring 42 is fluted as shown in FIG. 7. The top of the post issimilar to that of FIGS. 3 and 3a. Thus in the position shown, with theclosure member in its lower position, the chamber outlet is closed bydisk 28 and the reservoir can be filled. Liquid flows into chamber 2i asindicated by the arrows. When the reservoir is placed on the pump inletfixture in the manner shown in FIG. 4, sealing ring 42 engagescylindrical surface 41 in the range of intermediate positions. Thisseals the chamber inlet and liquid displaced by the fixture is forcedinto the pipe '37 of the fixture. The dimensions are selected so thatwhen the closure member is in its upper position, similar to FIG. 5,sealing ring 42 is above cylindrical surface 41 and liquid flows pastthe fluted portion 43 into chamber 21 as required by the pump.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3-5 is presently preferred to that of FIG. 6. InFIG. 6 water below the top ofcylindrical section 41 is unused. Adding ahorizontal partition at the level of the top would prevent accumulationof unused water, but would lead to a more complicated structure. Also,ring seal 42 may need to be harder than seal 24, leading to greaterfriction.

The invention has been described in connection with specific embodimentsthereof. Variations are possible within the spirit and scope of theinvention. For example, instead of employing a pipe 37 opening at thetop of stub 36, holes may be employed in the stub sidewall lying insidechmaber 21 when the reservoir is placed in position. Then the outletclosure section could simply lie on the blind top of the stub. Also,instead of raising the closure member by the stub top, a pin arrangedcentrally in the stub could be employed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a pump which comprises a. a pumpinlet fixture for supplying liquid to said pump,

e. said outlet closure section being constructed and adapted to closesaid outlet of thechamber in the lower position of the closure member,

f. said inlet closure section and said inlet to the cham- 5 her beingconstructed and adapted to close the inlet through a range ofintermediate positions of the closure member and open the inlet in upperand lower positions of the closure member,

g. means for resiliently biasing said closure member toward the lowerposition thereof,

h. said outlet and said pump inlet fixture being designed and adaptedfor substantial movement of the fixture into said chamber as thereservoir is placed in position on the fixture,

. sealing means for maintaining a water-tight relationship between saidoutlet and pump inlet fixture as the reservoir is placed in position onthe fixture, j. and means for moving said closure member from lower toupper positions thereof with respect to the chamber as the reservoir isplaced in position on said fixture,

k. whereby liquid from said chamber is forced into said pump inletfixture in said range of intermediate positions of the closure member asthe reservoir is placed in position on the fixture.

2. Apparatus according to claim I in which the upper portion of saidclosure member, in the lower position thereof with respect to thechamber, is at least partially within said inlet to the chamber innon-sealing guided relationship therewith.

3. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a pump which comprises a. anunwardly-extending pump inlet fixture for supplying liquid to said pump,

b. a removable reservoir for supplying liquid to said pump inlet fixturewhen placed in position thereon,

c. said reservoir including a chamber at the bottom thereof having aninlet from the portion of the reservoir thereabove and an outlet beneaththe inlet,

d. a closure member vertically movable in said chamber between upper andlower positions with respect to the chamber and having a lower outletclosure section and an upwardly extending post forming an inlet closuremember,

e. said outlet closure section being constructed and adapted to closesaid outlet of the chamber in the lower position of the closure member,

f. said post and said inlet to the chamber being constructed and adaptedfor engaging each other in sealed relationship through a substantialrange of intermediate positions of the closure member and open the inletin upper and lower positions of the closure member,

g. spring means for biasing said closure member toward the lowerposition thereof,

h. said outlet being constructed and adapted to fit over said pump inletfixture for a substantial movement of the fixture into said chamber asthe reservoir is placed in position on the fixture,

i. sealing means for maintaining a water-tight relationship between saidoutlet and pump inlet fixture as the reservoir is placed in position onthe fixture. said pump inlet fixture being constructed and adapted formoving said closure member from lower to upper positions thereof withrespect to the chamber as the reservoir is placed on the fixture 5.Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said inlet has a cylindricalsurface and said post has a sealing ring engaging therewith through saidrange of intermediate positions of the closure member.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the upper portion of saidpost, in the lower position of said closure member with respect to thechamber, is at least partially within said inlet to the chamber innon-sealing guided relationship therewith.

1. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a pump which comprises a. a pumpinlet fixture for supplying liquid to said pump, b. a removablereservoir for supplying liquid to said pump inlet fixture when placed inposition thereon, c. said reservoir including a chamber at the bottomthereof having an inlet from the portion of the reservoir thereabove andan outlet, d. a closure member vertically movable in said chamberbetween upper and lower positions with respect to the chamber and havingvertically spaced inlet and outlet closure sections, e. said outletclosure section being constructed and adapted to close said outlet ofthe chamber in the lower position of the closure member, f. said inletclosure section and said inlet to the chamber being constructed andadapted to close the inlet through a range of intermediate positions ofthe closure member and open the inlet in upper and lower positions ofthe closure member, g. means for resiliently biasing said closure membertoward the lower position thereof, h. said outlet and said pump inletfixture being designed and adapted for substantial movement of thefixture into said chamber as the reservoir is placed in position on thefixture, i. sealing means for maintaining a water-tight relationshipbetween said outlet and pump inlet fixture as the reservoir is placed inposition on the fixture, j. and means for moving said closure memberfrom lower to upper positions thereof with respect to the chamber as thereservoir is placed in position on said fixture, k. whereby liquid fromsaid chamber is forced into said pump inlet fixture in said range ofintermediate positions of the closure member as the reservoir is placedin position on the fixture.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in whichthe upper portion of said closure member, in the lower position thereofwith respect to the chamber, is at least partially within said inlet tothe chamber in non-sealing guided relationship therewith.
 3. Apparatusfor supplying liquid to a pump which comprises a. an unwardly-extendingpump inlet fixture for supplying liquid to said pump, b. a removablereservoir for supplying liquid to said pump inlet fixture when placed inposition thereon, c. said reservoir including a chamber at the bottomthereof having an inlet from the portion of the reservoir thereabove andan outlet beneath the inlet, d. a closure member vertically movable insaid chamber between upper and lower positions with respect to thechamber and having a lower outlet closure section and an upwardlyextending post forming an inlet closure member, e. said outlet closuresection being constructed and adapted to close said outlet of thechamber in the lower position of the closure member, f. said post andsaid inlet to the chamber being constructed and adapted for engagingeach other in sealed relationship through a substantial range ofintermediate positions of the closure member and open the inlet in upperand lower positions of the closure member, g. spring means for biasingsaid closure member toward the lower position thereof, h. said outletbeing constructed and adapted to fit over said pump inlet fixture for asubstantial movement of the fixture into said chamber as the reservoiris placed in position on the fixture, i. sealing means for maintaining awater-tight relationship between said outlet and pump inlet fixture asthe reservoir is placed in position on the fixture. j. said pump inletfixture being constructed and adapted for moving said closure memberfrom lower to upper positions thereof with respect to the chamber as thereservoir is placed on the fixture and allow liquid flow from saidreservoir into the pump inlet fixture, k. whereby liquid from saidchamber is forced into said pump inlet fixture in said range ofintermediate positions of the closure member as the reservoir is placedin position on the fixture.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in whichsaid post has a cylindrical section and said inlet has a sealing ringengaging therewith through said range of intermediate positions of theclosure member.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said inlethas a cylindrical surface and said post has a sealing ring engagingtherewith through said range of intermediate positions of the closuremember.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the upper portion ofsaid post, in the lower position of said closure member with respect tothe chamber, is at least partially within said inlet to the chamber innon-sealing guided relationship therewith.